By Jeff Dance, MBA, Executive Director with Kassouf Healthcare Solutions, LLC.
Never have I been a TGIF clock-watcher; but through years working behind the dedicated physicians and compassionate care providers, the silent strain of the week as a health leader takes its toll. While the focus often rests on the clinical aspects of care, the individuals managing the business and operational intricacies of medical practices face a unique and often intense set of pressures that can lead to significant stress. I for one, share those with my colleagues.
Saturday mornings have become a cherished routine. The morning slowly lifting its face outside my window, the chance of a less frenetic pace of the day, and the comforting quiet I've established, all contribute to a sense of calm to clear my head. Central to this peaceful start is a key element - coffee: a perfectly brewed cup from Birmingham’s local roaster, NonFiction Coffee. Call me a coffee-snob but I meticulously measure my water and beans (16:1), grind the beans for 30 seconds, and anxiously await the five minutes for that first cup of solace from some far-off farm from across the world. Maybe it’s the 1,900masl altitude of coffee’s home, Ethiopia, with its naturally occurring blueberry flavors, or the rich deep sweet chocolate of the unique “Honey Process” Leticia Huggins uses to process her beans from Honduras. Either way that first sip, a breeze through the news, and the insightful stories of the farmers that supply NonFiction make for a Saturday morning respite from the constant pressures of the week. Little did I know that this seemingly personal and introspective routine would unexpectedly lead me to a meaningful service opportunity right here in Birmingham.
Non-Fiction Coffee was started in 2018 by Mike and Lisa Herron to use coffee as a mission to create meaningful relationships, intentional giving, and exceptional roasting by sourcing its beans from small purpose-driven farmers. Each year around the holidays Mike and Lisa choose a charity to which they can donate proceeds from their “Seasonal Blend.” One morning as I researched the origins that made up the blend, I found “Holcomb Ministries” as the featured charity. With my NonFiction brew in hand, I went further.
In February of 2020, and at twenty-two weeks and three days into what was an otherwise normal pregnancy, found Birmingham residents Paul and Catherine Barber in a Birmingham NICU praying for the survival of their newborn premature daughter as the one-pound baby struggled for each and every breath. During this time Paul and Catherine experienced the “deep valley”, and literal meaning of Holcomb, as they developed their new routine as NICU parents. The chapped and raw hands from the never-ending handwashing. The need to maintain proper diets, focus, and clarity to understand the wonderful doctors’ and care-givers’ compassionate directives, updates, and prognosis, all combined to open their eyes to a need to minister to NICU parents.
Emma Barber left the hospital 160 days later and is now a wonderfully made five-year-old doing what any other five-year-old does. Emma bears the middle name “Holcomb” as a tribute to the blessing she and her family received.
Under Catherine’s leadership, The Holcomb Ministries provides needed support for NICU parents through an interactive website, and tangible Blessing Boxes filled with necessities such as hand lotion to soothe the cracked and raw skin of the hands that hold the sweet babies. Also, nourishment such as electrolyte drinks and healthy snacks for nursing mothers, and the ever-powerful handwritten encouragement note.
The connection felt immediate and compelling. The Holcomb Ministries resonated deeply with me, prompting a desire to act. The comfortable contentment of my Saturday morning suddenly felt incomplete.
How did my Saturday coffee lead to action? I contacted Catherine and found that my work team could get involved by helping to fill the Blessing Boxes. At Kassouf Healthcare Solutions we believe c-a-r-e is in our name and we should do just that. Interestingly enough, we have clients that are NICU physicians, so how fitting that we could participate with Catherine and the Holcomb team.
Fueled by this newfound awareness, and perhaps a lingering jolt of NonFiction’s finest, I felt a distinct call to action. That very Saturday, instead of simply transitioning to other weekend activities, I decided to reach out. I sent an email expressing my interest in volunteering. By Monday, I had received a warm reply outlining upcoming opportunities.
We set a date where Catherine and her team brought in all the supplies to our Kassouf offices. We spent a couple of hours away from the hassle of the day in compassionate attitudes packing the Blessing Boxes, writing encouragement notes, and getting to know more about Holcomb. What a wonderful and purposeful way for our Kassouf team to give back.
What began as a personal Saturday morning routine – the comforting ritual of coffee, news, and spiritual reflection – unexpectedly blossomed into a chance to serve our community. The simple awareness coupled with the call to action propelled me beyond my own quiet enjoyment and into a space where I could contribute. My Saturday mornings since undoubtedly still begin with a figurative journey to places like Burundi, Ethiopia, and even Honduras; but those moments of reflection, now carry an added dimension of knowing that this cherished routine has paved the way for a more engaged and purposeful weekend. The unexpected path from personal routine to service has been a profound reminder that even in our quiet moments of reflection, the seeds of action are sown.
Jeff Dance, MBA serves as the Executive Director of Kassouf Healthcare Solutions, LLC.
